Ring expander



J. N. WHITE RING EXPANDER July 12, 1932.

Filed Jan. 9, 1951 Z16 INVENTOR JONATHAN NEWTON WHITE Patented July 12, 1932 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE JONATHAN NEWTON WHITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNITED METAL HOSE CO. 1N.C., .OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CQRPORAIION OF NEW YORK RING EXPANDER Application filed January 9, 1931.

The invention relates in general to an apparatus for applying helically wound springs to tubing, such as flexible hose and the like, and more particularly relates to a device for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs and for "holding the springs itemporarily while so expanded. The present disclosure constitutes an improvement over the similar devices shown in my Patent No. 1,803,518, granted May '5, 1931=and application SenNo. 230,376, filed November 1, 1 927.

In the above identified patent and application,there are featured implements for use in applying a helically wound spring in a preset relation to the end of a tube, and both of which implements were characterized by circumterentially movable abutments designed to engage the terminals of the spring to :momentarily unwind the spring thus 'increasing its internaldia-meter so as to permit of an easy sliding of theexpanded spring on to the end of the tube which it was designed to engage.

The principal objector the invention "herein disclosed, as was the casein thedisclosures in the said patent and application, is to provide a simple form of device by means of which the spring may be circumferentially distorted temporarily to increase the normal diameter of its-convolutions, and to retain the latter in this distended 'condition'until the spring is slipped on to the tube with which it is intended to engage. The present disclosure features a more simplified construction than is disclosed in either of the preceding disclosures; to providea device which is easily constructed; which will permit the easy, rapid and repeated insertions of succeeding springs and tubes,-and in general to provide an improved, commercially perfected article of the type outlined.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part :obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in .part willibe more fullyset torth'inithe r'ol- Serial No. 507,595.

lowing particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the inventiomand the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a view in plan showing a preferred embodiment of the invention with a spring inserted in place and the parts disposed in position at the start of the spring expanding operation;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the showing in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view :in vertical section taken on the line 38 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig.4 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3 looking downwardly as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view-of a tubing end with the spring shown in the preceding figures installed thereon in clutching engagement therewith.

Referring first to the finished article as is shown in Fig. 5,"there is shown a braided metal tubeT encircling which is a spring S formed of a plurality of 'convolutions s and having terminals t and t in-fixed spaced relation to the end 6 of the tube T.

Referring to the device herein featured, and referring first to Figs. 1 and'2, there is shown a'holder 10 inthe form of an open end cylinder for the spring S. It is understood that the holder has an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the spring which it is designed to contain and is the diameter which the expanded spring is to assume. A supporting lug 11 extends laterally from the outer side of the cylinder and is secured to a support 12 by screws 13. The cylinder is providedad-j acent its upper end 14 with a relatively short circumferentially expanding opening 15 (see Fig. 3) for receiving one endof the dog 16 hereinafter more fully described. The cylinder is also provided adjacent its lower end with a relatively long, circumferentially extending slot 17 from which protrudes the actuating handle 18 hereinafter described.

An actuator barrel 19 intrudes into the lower end of the spring holder 10 and is rotatably mounted therein for movement about the axis (1-?) of the holder 10. The barrel fits snugly in the holder; has a freedom of movement therein and provides a relatively long bearing to minimize binding effect between these two telescopic members. The actuator ring is provided at its lower end with an externally projecting flange 21 for engaging the lower end of the holder 10 and thus limit the upward telescopic movement of the barrel in the holder. The barrel is also provided with an inwardly projecting flange 22 designed to provide a stop for receiving the lower end 6 of the tube T when inserted in place in the barrel as indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 3. The upper edge 28 of the barrel forms a single convolute corresponding at least roughly with the end convolute of the spring when it is designed to receive as indicated in Fig. 3 and is stepped at its ends to provide a shoulder 24: forming a spring terminal engaging abutment or member for engaging the terminal 6 of the spring S. The handle 18 is secured at its inner end to the barrel 19 and thus acts to secure the barrel in position in the holder.

The dog 16 is pivoted intermediate its ends on pin 25 carried by lug 26 which projects from the holder 10 adjacent opening 15. This dog is somewhat 'l-shaped with finger engaging end 27 and with a hooked end 28 which is designed to extend through the opening from an inoperative position outside of the interior of the holder 10 into a position extending transversely across the convolutions to constitute a spring terminal engaging member for engaging the terminal 6, as indicated in Fig. 1.

l Vhile it is not necessary to the successful operation of the device, it is herein suggested that a fixed stop 29 be mounted in the holder 10 to project a slight distance into the interi or of the holder and above the uppermost convolution to assist in defeating any tendency which the spring may have to jump out of the holder while being distended.

In operation, the spring is simplv dropped into the upper, open end of the holder during the insertion of which the dog is preferably moved by pressing the finger piece 27 into inoperative position so as not to interfere with the ready positioning of the spring. The handle 18 is moved into position engaging one end of the slot as indicated in Fig. 1 which will permit the movable terminal abutment 2i to engage back of the terminal 6 with the relatively thick hooked end 28 inserted in position engaging the upper terminal t. The

operator engages the handle 18 and moves the same clockwise from the position shown in the several figures towards the opposite end of the slot shown in Fig. 2 which will have the effect of exerting pressure on the convolutions forming the spring, expanding the same from the full line into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 thus increasing the internal diameter of the spring sutlicient to permit the insertion therethrough of the tube T. The tube T is inserted through the distended convolutions until its lower end 0 en gages the stop plate 22 thus insuring the proper location of the spring relative to the end of the tube. The manual pressure is then released on handle 18 and the tension of the spring is permitted to restore itself to its original configuration, clamping itself to the tube T. The handle is moved back into its original position, if it is not already moved into such position by the reaction of the spring, and the tube with the spring thereon as indicated in Fig. 5 is removed from the holder thus restoring the parts of the device for a repetition of this operation.

By means of the device disclosed there has been provided a long, smooth easy-acting movement of the actuator barrel, even when working on springs of high tensile strength. The parts forming this telescopic mounting provide the necessary ruggedness of structure without necessity of adding structural metal to meet this requirement. The parts are easy to form, are for the most part rough castings and can be made without necessity of expensive machining to insure the fit of rotatably mounted parts.

Both of the spring abutments can be formed rugged in distinction from the usual easily shearable pins heretofore used for this purpose and their wide bearing surfaces provide a firm, secure engagement with the spring terminals. The spring can be easily inserted into the holder without necessity of avoiding obstruction or requiring any special care in inserting them in place and at the same time any tendency of the spring to escape is minimized. In general, tiere is provided a device which can be manufactured cheaply, which wo 'ks etiiciently, and which can be worked rapidly even by the unskilled operator.

I claim:

1. In a device for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs, t.1e combination of a cylinder provided with means for mounting the same fixedly in place and provided with an arcuate slot an actuator barrel mounted for rotary movement in the cylinder and provided *ith an actuating handle projecting there-from through said slot, said cylinder and barrel each provided with means for engaging and applying pressure to an end of the spring to be expanded and with means for restraining axial movement of the springs while permitting a freedom of circumferential movement of the convolutions forming the spring.

2. In a device for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs, the combination of a cylinder provided with means for mounting the same fixedly in place and provided with an arcuate slot, an actuator barrel mounted for rotary movement in the cylinder and provided with an actuating handle projecting therefrom through said slot, said cylinder and barrel each provided with means for engaging and applying pressure to an end of the spring to be expanded.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cylinder havin an open end, a barrel having one end intruded into the other end of the cylinder and rotatably mounted therein, the outer end of the barrel having an external flange in rotating engagement with the adjacent end of the cylinder and having an internal flange, the intruded end of the barrel being stepped to provide a shoulder, and said cylinder provided between said shoulder and its open end with an abutment and projecting into the interior of the cylinder and said barrel provided with means to rotate the same in the cylinder and thus cause relative circumferential movement between the shoulder and the abutment.

A. A device for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs about a tubing, including a cylindrical spring holder, an actuator barrel intruded into and mounted for rotary movement in the holder, the intruded end of the ring provided with a shoulder forming a relatively movable spring terminal engaging jaw, and the opposite end of the ring provided with an inwardly extending flange forming a tubing engaging stop plate, and said cylinder provided in spaced relation to the intruded end of the ring with a relatively stationary spring terminal engaglng dog.

5. A device for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs about a tubing, including a cylindrical spring holder provided with a relatively fixed spring terminal engaging member, a rotatably mounted actuator barrel having an external bearing in said holder and provided with means forming a relatively movable spring terminal engaging member in axially spaced re lation to the relatively fixed member.

6. An implement for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs, including a pair of ring-like members, one rotatably mounted in the other about an axis of rotation, the outer member providing a cylindrical wall for limiting the expanding movement of the contained spring, and said members provided with abutments axially spaced apart and arranged to engage the terminals of the contained spring and exert strain upon the latter to expand its convolutions c-ircumferentially into engagement with said wall and means for causing relative rotary movement between said members.

7 A device of the character described including a cylindrical coil spring holder adapted to receive a helically wound spring and to limit its diametrically expanding movement, said holder provided with an abutment for engaging one of the terminals of the sprin means rotatably mounted in the holder and provided with an abutment for engaging one of the terminals of the spring, means rotatably mounted in the holder and provided with a coacting abutment for engaging the other end of the spring, means for restraining axial movement of the spring while permitting the diametrical expansion of the spring and means for moving the abutments to exert pressure on the terminals of the spring and thus cause the convolutions of the same to expand towards the holder.

8. An implement for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs including a spring holder for entirely encircling the springs and provided with an opening extending through a wall thereof, relatively movable members one of which is movable transversely of the opening and in spaced relation to a common axis of rotation to exert torque on its convolutions and thus ex pand the same towards the encircling holder.

9. A device of the character described, the combination of a coil spring holder provided with means to retain the spring and engage the terminals of the latter to move the same into position to expand the convolutions of the spring, said means including a plvotally mounted dog movable into and out of operative engagement with one of the sprmg terminals.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of an open end cylinder provided with an opening in the side thereof, a dog pivotally mounted on the exterior of the cylinder and having an abutment forming part adapted to be intruded into the cylinder through said opening to engage one of the terminals of a helically wound spring and means rotatably mountedin the cylinder for engaging the other terminal of the spring.

11. An implement for circumferentially expanding helically wound springs, including a pair of spring terminal engaglng members having relative rotary movement about an axis of rotation and along operative paths axially spaced apart planes perpendicular to said axis, and one of said memhere being free to move into and out of its operative path and thus into and out of operative engagement with its associated spring terminal.

12. In a device for circumferentially expanding helically Wound springs, the combination of a relatively fixed member for engaging one terminal of the spring and a 5 member movable circumferentially of the spring for engaging the other terminal of the same for expanding its convolutions, one of said members movable transversely of the convolutions of the spring to and from its operative position engaging its associated spring terminal.

. Signed at New York city in the county of Bronx and State of New York this 24th day of December, A. D. 1930.

JONATHAN NEWTON WHITE. 

